The two Marco Polo cds of his orchestral music,are still up there with my favourite and most played Holbrooke cds. Despite some of the ribbing they get in some quarters. I like the selection of music played on the two cds. The musicianship,while a tad rough and ragged at times,has a nice feel of commitment from the performers. There is also a nice feeling of pioneering zeal. In fact,I like the recordings very much,despite their,obvious,shortcomings. The performance of Byron is the main disappointment,for me. I quite enjoy listening to it;but it just comes over as flabby and,almost as if they were beginning to get bored! Gareth will know more!! The other cd has a rather short playing time;and you'd think they could have included an appropriate filler? Someone suggested The Wild Fowl! Is that still extant? But I do enjoy the cd. A bit of a raggedy band,but I feel that sense of pioneering zeal;and it's one of my favourite Holbrooke cds. I have to say,I just love the Dylan Prelude. Nothing like Wagner. I hear an astringency in the more stormy,turbulent moments,which,actually,make me think of late Sibelius,at times. I would love to hear it with a really first rate orchestra! Also,I do like the choice of Sidney Sime for the artwork. Very appropriate,when you consider that he was a friend of Holbrooke's and,like Joseph,a fellow devotee of Edgar Allan Poe. Of course,the recordings of some of these works on Cpo and that Lyrita cd,are smoother and sonically superior. But I like the rough and tumble at times!! And those Marco Polo cds were my introduction to this music. I even wrote a fan letter to Gwydion Brooke after hearing the first one;and got a very nice letter and free Holbrooke Lp in return! :)
Those Cpo recordings are superb,of course! Both Dutton cd's are excellent. Although the cd of Aucassin and Nicolette suffers from a somewhat dry acoustic. Although,it doesn't bother me! :)

Thank you for your reply! While I was posting this I was wondering whether you might want to shoot me for not knowing this? ::) ;D Of course,I could do the job myself. But Britain not being America,it might be a little more difficult? Although,if I did possess one and try,I'm sure the armed police who arrived would very graciously (and bloodly! :o) do the job for me!! ;D I have to say,if I worried about all the liberties Beecham appeared to take with scores my Beecham listening pleasure would be severely culled! What do you think of allowing Beecham this shocker,just for once........'cos he's Beecham,and "Beecham's Beecham",as some might say?! Shoot all the others,though!! ;D I have the Abbado,by the way! The Abbado box of the symphonies is a lovely set,imo! That said,this is where your knowledge of music is far superior to mine. Full of useless facts (Salzedo composed the music for the Open Universite fanfare!  ::)) but nothing as useful as knowing my exposition from my a*** (I was going to type that,but in lieu of recent notes,perhaps I'd better not?!!) A**** are very useful,though! I'm sitting on one,right now!! :o ;D

You know your exposition's,Lionel! ;D I'll have to bear this in mind. Incidentally,does Beecham observe it in his recording? He was known for taking liberties with music scores. Of course,they were different times,I suppose?!

Daniel Jones: String Quartet No 1   Delmé Quartet (from the Chandos set of the Complete String Quartets)

This is an example of one of those deleted cd's (set in this case) for which Sellers ask horrific prices! :o It took me a few years to find an affordable copy. I'd almost given up hope,and........lo,there it was!! :o While Chandos offer it as a download,I think the set,seriously,deserves a reissue! It would make a fine complement to the ongoing Lyrita series. These are serious quartets. Music for the mind! More brooding and introspective,than outgoing! You won't find any rhumba's here! ;D Not,really,for idle listening......but it is possible to read a book while listening! :)

Schubert: Trout Quintet!  Piano Quintet in A major,D667      Clifford Curzon (pno)  Members of the Vienna Octet (Willi Boskovsky,on Violin)   Decca

I remember I first heard this on a Decca Lp belonging to my grandparents. One of those thick old vinyl Lp's! (Like dinner plates!) They had a big old radiogram,with a crackly volume control. One careless twist of the (Warning! Possibly,offensive word alert?! ;D) knob would result in an excrutiatingly,loud crackle!! I had to remember to turn it very slowly (the volume control! ;D) as they were old people;and I didn't like the noise it made much,either!!  ::)
A wonderful performance. The cd is paired with the String Quartet in D minor,D810. Death and the Maiden to simple folk like me.......and easier to remember!! ;D

You can be lucky! Only a few days ago,I bought the Cpo set of Wilhelm Kienzl's Don Quixote opera. It appears to have been deleted now. At any rate,Sellers are asking hefty prices. I couldn't even afford it,when it was,readily,available. Then,suddenly,ebay had an affordable copy. I groaned when I saw it,to be honest! ::) I've been trying to stem my cd purchases. But what could I do at such a low price?!! Resist?!! ;D Now,that's a rude word here!! :o

Knob as in Knob of butter!

Playing now! Bartok:String Quartets      Tokyo String Quartet       Decca Eloquence 2 cds

So,it's software 'yelling' "Language Timothy!" :o

Poor old Ben Dale! :( To give him some credit,I'd rather listen to some of his instrumental & chamber music than allot of the Tippett,I've heard! Even if he did have his own distinctive soundworld!!

Rawsthorne's music is,surprisingly,approachable and,even,tuneful,at times! The Piano Concertos! The Finale of the Second Piano Concerto sports a rhumba! The Second Symphony has a tune I couldn't get out of my head for a few days! The Symphonic Studies.....Street Corner! Gnarly and a little terse or astringent at times. But there's none of the tortousness of Tippett,you'll be delighted to hear!

I did think of that! But I couldn't be bothered to re-type it!! ;D Imagine if this was the old (Official) Radio 3 Forum? I thought I could get past them by typing,b**** or d**! But they'd they'd delete the post!  :( ;D

One can dream,Lionel!! ::) ;D I think the recording of Hans Heiling is pretty good! That's the one I'd go for! For the reasons in my,fairly short,post!! :) The Opera D'Oro live recording of Der Vampyr,undoubtedly,has a finer cast,than the Capriccio set (and dialogue). But the extraneous noise and the knob twiddling of the sound engineer,during the Overture,are too much of a distraction,to my ears! ::)

Luckily,I've got it! The price asked by some Seller's for deleted cd's is ridiculous! I wonder who I got my s/h copy from?! Music Magpie I presume?!! ;D Imagine paying some daft price and then Music Magpie have a copy for a a couple of quid?!! ::) :(

;D